7 Tips for Avoiding Holiday Septic Tank Backups

7 Tips for Avoiding Holiday Septic Tank Backups

With the holidays fast approaching, so are the days of a house packed with friends and family celebrating this joyous time of year. When you are hosting parties at your home or traveling guests are planning to stay a few days, it means extra water usage. Suddenly a septic tank installed for a family of 4 is now serving a house of 6 to 10 or more! If the system is old, partially clogged, or already full it can wreak havoc on your plans. The last thing you need is a backed up septic with a house full of people!

Luckily, there are some simple tips for avoiding septic backups during the holidays that are a breeze to implement. Now is the time to put this plan into action so that during the holidays you don’t experience any issues that will put a damper on all the fun and festivities.

Here are seven tips for avoiding and preventing incidents with the septic system during the holiday season:

1. Stagger Shower Usage

Allow your guests to choose the time that they are comfortable with showering, while you and your family make some compromises and stagger when you take your shower. If your guests want to take showers before bed, then you take showers in the morning. Staggering the shower usage reduces the water entering the septic system and will lessen the likelihood of septic tank backups.

2. Thoughtful Dishwasher Usage

With a houseful of guests, the dirty dishes are going to pile up quickly. Rather than washing load after load in the sink, start stacking things in the dishwasher, then run the unit in the afternoon or late at night when no one is in the shower. Better yet, give yourself and the dishwasher a break by using holiday paper plates.

3. Limit Laundry Washing

Avoid doing laundry when you have a house full of guests for the holidays. Either plan to do your laundry loads spread out over a period of a few days before or after they are in the house or do one big load the day they arrive to allow you to make it a few days without having to run excess water through the septic system

4. Don’t Use Toilets As Trashcans

Some guests during the holidays are not aware they are contributing to the problem by throwing things like tissues, feminine hygiene products, dental floss, gum, and paper towels in the toilet. It might be uncomfortable to ask guests to refrain from tossing things in the toilet, so the best way to limit the number of unwanted things from entering your tank is to clear out the bathroom. Remove paper towels and wipes from the bathroom. Place a small trashcan with a lid next to the toilet to encourage guests to throw trash away rather than flush it. A humorous sign placed near the toilet can also help get the message across.

5. Mind The Kitchen Sink

Ask kitchen helpers to place potato peels, eggshells, coffee grounds and other solid foods in the trash rather than using the garbage disposal. Avoid pouring any grease, oil, or fats down the drain.

6. Conserve and Maintain

Check and repair for any leaking toilets or faucets. Installing water efficient shower heads and toilet conversion kits can help reduce water usage.

7. Schedule a Septic Tank Pumping

To avoid slow drains, foul smells, and backups at the worst possible time, schedule a septic tank pump out before your guests start arriving. Along with the pumping the filter will be cleaned. These preventative items will significantly reduce the chances of problems when you have a house full of guests this holiday.